Where are the world's worst drivers?
#21


Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 23,192
Likes: 0
Cairo - traffic lights are for decorative purposes only, lane markers are meant to be straddled so as to 5 cars across on a 3 lane highway, aiming at pedestrians is the national sport. And one guy seriously told us that if a male puts on his headlights at night he is considered the Arab version ofa wimp.
#22
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,823
Likes: 0
Cairo - without question
- lane markers are irrelevant
- traffic lights are few and seldom followed
- horn blasting is their way of letting you know a car is coming
- no headlights at night
- giving "eye contact" to someone at an intersection basically means you have given them permission to cut in front of you
- "double passing" is common on the highways (passing a vehicle while that vehicle is passing one)
plus - you need to watch out for the donkey carts and camels!
- lane markers are irrelevant
- traffic lights are few and seldom followed
- horn blasting is their way of letting you know a car is coming
- no headlights at night
- giving "eye contact" to someone at an intersection basically means you have given them permission to cut in front of you
- "double passing" is common on the highways (passing a vehicle while that vehicle is passing one)
plus - you need to watch out for the donkey carts and camels!
#25
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
I hate to confirm a stereotype about my (current) home state, but ...Oklahoma.
Imagine beefy HS dropouts driving 2-ton dual cab pickups, usually one handed, because they are clutching spit cups and/or beer cans with the other, not just tailgating -- but honking their horns and flashing their lights to try and force drivers to pull over (on the shoulder) so they can continue to travel to the mall or electronics store at 85 mph ... in the snow and ice.
I'm not making this up. Every friend or relative who has visited from out-of-state comments on how bad the tailgating is and how aggressive, dangerous and just plain stupid the drivers are here.
We also have an excessive number of housewives speeding down our (crumbling) roads in SUVs - also one handed, because they are busy yakking on their cell phones and/or drinking lattes whilst driving to yoga class and Pottery Barn. They run lights, they pass on the right and cut other drivers off, they pull into packed traffic expecting all vehicles to *stop* -- for them!
Ick.
Imagine beefy HS dropouts driving 2-ton dual cab pickups, usually one handed, because they are clutching spit cups and/or beer cans with the other, not just tailgating -- but honking their horns and flashing their lights to try and force drivers to pull over (on the shoulder) so they can continue to travel to the mall or electronics store at 85 mph ... in the snow and ice.
I'm not making this up. Every friend or relative who has visited from out-of-state comments on how bad the tailgating is and how aggressive, dangerous and just plain stupid the drivers are here.
We also have an excessive number of housewives speeding down our (crumbling) roads in SUVs - also one handed, because they are busy yakking on their cell phones and/or drinking lattes whilst driving to yoga class and Pottery Barn. They run lights, they pass on the right and cut other drivers off, they pull into packed traffic expecting all vehicles to *stop* -- for them!
Ick.
#26
Guest
Posts: n/a
At least the people driving in Paris & Italy are paying attention to what they are doing. I'll take that to the SUV driving soccer-Mom w/a Starbucks in one hand, a cell phone in the other while trying to wolf down an egg-Mcmuffin & yelling @ two kids in the backseat. So my answer would be - suburbia.
#27
Guest
Posts: n/a
"Worst" as in rudest? "Worst" as in most reckless? "Worst" as in most scofflaws? "Worst" as in most distracted? "Worst" as in most unpredictable? "Worst" as in most aggressive?
Grew up in Boston -- know they can create a dodgem-car mentality on some arteries, but locals know "the rules." Have now lived other places where how you are treated by other drivers seems pretty clearly to depend on who they think you are, rather than what you're doing.
This affects race, gender, age, state on license plate, and make/model of your vehicle. I won't give examples because it could start a really nasty discussion, but I'm willing to bet most in the US will know exactly what kinds of things I'm talking about.
Meanwhile, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Quebec. Had a group of Mass. State police say by far the worst drivers they had to deal with were those with Quebec plates. I
Grew up in Boston -- know they can create a dodgem-car mentality on some arteries, but locals know "the rules." Have now lived other places where how you are treated by other drivers seems pretty clearly to depend on who they think you are, rather than what you're doing.
This affects race, gender, age, state on license plate, and make/model of your vehicle. I won't give examples because it could start a really nasty discussion, but I'm willing to bet most in the US will know exactly what kinds of things I'm talking about.
Meanwhile, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Quebec. Had a group of Mass. State police say by far the worst drivers they had to deal with were those with Quebec plates. I
#28
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,125
Likes: 0
In the US -- New Jersey.
In Europe...have you guys ever tried to drive in downtown Athens??? It makes Rome and Paris look like a piece of cake. By FAR the worst. I actually think Italian drivers are pretty good, if a little bit crazy.
I've never been to Egypt. But I can imagine Cairo is pretty bad.
In Europe...have you guys ever tried to drive in downtown Athens??? It makes Rome and Paris look like a piece of cake. By FAR the worst. I actually think Italian drivers are pretty good, if a little bit crazy.
I've never been to Egypt. But I can imagine Cairo is pretty bad.
#29



Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,861
Likes: 79
Personal data points -
Oregon, where the turn signal lever has no known function.
South Florida, where it remains depressed regardless of the intentions of the drivers.
Boston - aggressiveness not equaled by competence.
San Francisco - traffic signals are regarded as recommendations.
Portugal, like Boston on its worst day.
Mexico - Definitive proof of Darwinism.
South Africa - suicidal mini-bus taxi drivers and too many (real) baboons on the road.
Oregon, where the turn signal lever has no known function.
South Florida, where it remains depressed regardless of the intentions of the drivers.
Boston - aggressiveness not equaled by competence.
San Francisco - traffic signals are regarded as recommendations.
Portugal, like Boston on its worst day.
Mexico - Definitive proof of Darwinism.
South Africa - suicidal mini-bus taxi drivers and too many (real) baboons on the road.
#31
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,204
Likes: 0
DH agrees with nytraveler about Italian drivers, but then, HE drives just like them, so he fit right in there.
I'd probably have to agree with WannabeinMontserrat (so do I, or at least somewhere in Spain)--the soccer moms with their SUVS, on their cell phones, drinking their Starbucks are nightmares (and not just as drivers
)
I'd probably have to agree with WannabeinMontserrat (so do I, or at least somewhere in Spain)--the soccer moms with their SUVS, on their cell phones, drinking their Starbucks are nightmares (and not just as drivers
)
#39
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,528
Likes: 0
Boston drivers are not bad drivers - they are actually quite good at negotiating a really really horrible road system. I blame the roads - not the driver.
Now lets talk about the Maniacs that drive down 95 in the left lanes at 55 miles an hour - probably the first time they had to drive on a 4 lane highway.
Now lets talk about the Maniacs that drive down 95 in the left lanes at 55 miles an hour - probably the first time they had to drive on a 4 lane highway.

